WEST COAST 18+

14.

W E S T C O A S T

"Hola, papi," Daniela greeted the deli man at the back of the corner store.

"Hola, mami. What can I get ya?"

"BLT. Salt, pepper, mayo, and Swiss cheese," she says, the man nodding behind the glass.

"And vinegar," Ashton blurts out.

"No, you fucking demon," Daniela glares at him.

"Can I at least get some chips?" Ashton asks.

"Don't you got money?" Daniela tilts her head, Ashton smirking. "Yeah, thought I ain't know. You buying my drink, too."

Now he was startled. "What?"

"What?" She mocked him in this doofy voice. "You heard me loud and clear," she said, moving to go grab a vitamin water out of the fridge.

Tonight was Enrique's party, and Daniela's never been this nervous before. Enrique seemed hard to impress, and she was expected to entertain him and his people. The worst thing that could happen is everyone staring at her and wondering why she had some fuck shit playing.

"How's Raquel?" Daniela asks, leaning on the glass while she waited for her sandwich.

Ashton taps away at his phone, "she's okay, I guess."

Daniela stood up to peek at his phone, seeing he was messaging back Georgie. She settles on her feet, "You haven't spoken to her about how you felt?"

"I'm still scared of her rejecting me."

"She won't because she likes you, but even if she were, what's so bad about being rejected?" she wonders.

"It's humiliating."

"Okay, but at least you asked her and no longer have to wonder what if."

Ashton asks, "have you ever been rejected?"

She arches a brow, "do I look like the type to be rejected?"

"Yes."

"And this is why you will never have a girlfriend, you loser," Daniela says, Ashton chuckling.

"It's just easier said than done. You never had to chase a guy; they always came to you, and I don't have a big brother to talk to who can understand me."

Daniela sighs, "boys don't only understand being rejected, Ashton. Girls go through that, too. Not me, cause I'm lit, but for those who do, at some point they get tired of waiting. If you wait too long with Raquel, someone else is going to get that chance you've been hoping for."

Ashton shoves his phone in his pocket. "There is this other guy who likes her, and they're always together."

"Which should be more than enough reason to get on your zoom," the clapping of her hands for the emphasis of every word. "How's school, though?"

"Actually, no one's been bothering me for a minute."

She smiles because she doesn't get the vibe he's lying. It was the relief on his face. "That's good. I was going to suggest joining the football team. Those airheads usually protect each other."

Ashton grins, "this isn't like the olden days."

Offended, "the olden days?" gasping with her hand on her chest.

"The football players aren't seen as the coolest here. It's the guys who got jumped in or the kids with big brothers who bang," Ashton answers.

Daniela's face shows her worry when she asks, "you're not thinking of joining a gang, are you?"